Unit 2. My friends and hobbies

1. WORD STUDY

1. Read and learn new words and word combinations

friend: close/ best friend	друг: близкий/ лучший
to get acquainted with smb	познакомиться
classmate	одногруппник
roommate	сосед по комнате
friendship	дружба
make friends with smb	подружиться с кем-либо
fall out with a friend	ссориться
pen-pal	друг по переписке
to trust	доверять
to rely on	полагаться на кого-либо
to be good/ bad at	иметь/ не иметь способности к чему-либо
be fond of	любить
waste time	терять время
free/ spare time	свободное время
leisure	досуг
to chat	болтать
DIY (do-it-yourself)	сделай сам
fishing	рыбалка
gardening	садоводство
entertaining	развлечения
shopping	покупки
clubbing	посещение ночных клубов
watching TV	просмотр телевидения
coach potato	лежебока
being jealous of smb	завидовать, ревновать

2. Read the quotations (1-5) below about friends and friendship. Decide which quotation is about:

a) helping a friend

b) making a new friend

c) having an animal friend

d) being jealous of a friend

e) giving money to a friend.

1. Lend your money and lose your friend. (Proverb, 15th century)

2. A four-legged friend, a four-legged friend, he’ll never let you down. (Song by Roy Rogers, 1952)

3. Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends. (song by John Lennon and Paul Mccartney, 1967)

4. Whenever a friend succeeds, a little something in me dies. (Gore Vidal, 1973)

5. If a man does not make new friends as he advances through life, he will soon find himself left alone. (James Boswell, 1791)

With a partner, explain what you think each quotation means. Which ones do you agree with? Which ones are true in your experience?

3. Match the activities and their descriptions:

a) fishing

b) shopping

c) watching television

d) football

e) entertainment

f) going to the nightclubs

1. Well, I go to the match on Saturday afternoon, and then go out with my mates for a drink in the evening. It’s a home game; I can usually get back to watch Match of the day on television. Then on Sunday we all meet up for a game of football. I belong to the Southfield Superstars, which is a part f the Southern Sunday League. We play every Sunday from September to May.

2. We always have people for dinner on Sunday nights, or we get invitations to have dinner with friends. Sometimes we go out to restaurants. We like Chinese food, and there are plenty of good Indian restaurants.

3. I go shopping. I adore it and I go shopping for clothes at least twice a month. And I haven’t got any money, I go window shopping and decide what I’m going to buy when I’m rich.

4. I go round the clubs, meeting friends, dancing, listening to music, that sort of thing. I try to go out every night if I can, because, I can’t stand staying at home. I usually stay out until about two or three, unless I’m going to work. Then I try to be in bed by midnight.

5. I go down to the river at least once a week, usually on Sunday because that’s when I want to get away from children at home. I don’t mind spending Saturday with the children, but I get bored if it’s the whole weekend. My wife doesn’t mind. She says she prefers me out of the house. But she’s pleased when I catch enough fish for supper.

6. In the evenings we watch television, monthly. We don’t go out much because our children are still quite young. We’ve got satellite TV so there’s plenty of programs top watch. And it gives you something to talk about when you’re at work the next day.

4. Which of the following do you like doing in your free time?

Example: I’m really into wrestling. Or I am fond of listening to classical music.

Tell your partner about something you’re really into.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES:

going clubbing

going to art exhibitions

going to an evening class

eating out

going round junk shops

horse riding

riding bikes

SPORTS:

scuba diving

canoeing

wrestling

judo

karate

snowboarding

bungee jumping

kick boxing

skiing

badminton

table tennis

volleyball

INDOOR ACTIVITIES:

listening to classical music

playing an instrument

reading

working out in a gym

watching videos

playing computer games

working with computers

painting

dancing

visiting museums

Find out what you have in common with your partner.

Example: - Do you like/enjoy going clubbing?

- Yes, I do/ No, I don’t.

- So do I /Neither do I.

2. READING

5. Look quickly at the title and the headings in the text. Answer these questions

1. How many sections does the text have?

2. Look at the types of friends in each heading (A-D). Can you predict what characteristics each kind of friend might have?

Example: A. The Party Partner might be a lively person who likes going out a lot.

6. Read the text

A small circle of good friends is better than one best friend

A: The Party Partner

There is a time in most children's lives when they have just one “best friend”. This is the only person they are interested in and the only person they need. But as we get older, most people realise that it's actually much healthier to have a small circle of good friends with different personality types. Firstly, a “party partner” is essential. You need at least one wild friend who encourages you to do spontaneous things like go to a late night party or buy something really expensive. This kind of friend will put interest back in your life. He or she will make you feel more energetic and relieve a lot of stress.

B: The Workmate

Secondly, you also need a “workmate”. This friend helps you with your schoolwork or your career. He or she advises you and discusses your progress. If you have a friend like this, you're in luck. This is someone who will help push you, support you and encourage you to do your best. It's a good idea to find someone who is at a similar life stage or a bit older. But don't choose someone who is too competitive. You need someone self-confident and generous for this kind of friend.

C: The Hobby Sharer

Thirdly, one kind of friend who is fun to have is the “hobby sharer”. This is someone who you have absolutely nothing in common with, except that at the moment you share the same interest or hobby. If you start a new hobby, like going to the gym, it is much more motivating to have someone to go with. This friendship could collapse at any time but is very nice while it lasts. The great thing about this kind of friend is that you can start all sorts of new things with different “hobby sharer” friends. He or she can help you move on to a new stage in your life.

D: The “Tell-anything” Friend

Finally, almost the opposite of the “hobby sharer” is the kind of friend known as the “tell-anything” friend. He or she could also be known as your “three-in-the-morning” friend. You might never have to wake this friend up because you're in a panic about something, but you know you could. This is perhaps the only friend who you show your worst side to and with whom you can truly be yourself. The key to being a “tell-anything” friend is that even though you may not agree with your friend, you are always loyal and always on their side. This, after all, is what a true friend should be.

7. For questions 1-9, choose from the people (a-d).

a) The Party Partner

b) The Workmate

c) The Hobby Sharer

d) The “Tell-anything” Friend

Which of these friends...

1. likes to do unplanned things?

2. is the best for helping with homework?

3. would help you in a desperate situation?

4. is generally very different from you?

5. is usually a lively and active person?

6. may suddenly stop being your friend?

7. is someone you probably wouldn't mind crying with?

8. shouldn't be a very ambitious person?

9. is usually a faithful and reliable person?

8. Think about yourself. Which type or types of friend from the text do you think you are? Tell another student, giving reasons.

9. Do you agree with the title of the text: A small circle of good friends is better than one best friend? Discuss with a partner, giving your reasons.

10. Read the text and answer the questions.

Are you a coach potato?

Centuries ago, people didn’t have much free time, because everybody was working too hard. In Britain in the nineteenth century, people had more spare time, but because the Victorians hated relaxing and doing nothing, they invented football, rugby and cricket. People took up more gentle activities too, like gardening, bird watching and train spotting, and it was even possible simply to watch a sport and give the impression that you were actually doing something.

Gradually, leisure activities have become less and less demanding, and most people have a variety of more or less energetic interests and hobbies.

But now there is a new type of person who thinks that lying on the sofa watching television on Sunday afternoon or reading the newspaper from cover to cover is the most exciting activity they can manage. This is the twentieth-century coach potato. For them, every activity is too much trouble, and laziness is an art form!

So how do you spend your free time?

1. Are you a coach potato or do you enjoy active hobbies?

2. How does a coach potato tend to spend his/her spare time?

3. What are your favorite free time activities?

4. Do people in our country have much free time? How do they tend to spend it?

3. LISTENING AND SPEAKING

11. Listen to two people talking about a film about friendship. Fill in the gaps.

Name of film: (1) ___

Original book written by Nick Hornby

1^st main character:

Man called Will aged in his (2) ___

Likes: watching TV, (3) ___ and lying in the bath.

Dislikes: having proper (4) ___

2^nd main character:

Boy called Marcus lives with his (5) ___

Marcus is aged (6) ___

Will and Marcus become friends.

Will changes from a (7) ___ person to a (8) ___ person.

12. With a partner, think of one or two films, books or TV programmes about friends or friendship. Say why you liked or didn't like them.

13. Ask and answer these questions with a partner.

Have you ever fallen out with a close friend? If so, what did you fall out about? Did you make it up afterwards? How long did it take to make it up? How did you make it up?

14. Listen to five people talking about their hobbies. Match the number of the speaker 1-5 to the number of the statement A-F. There is one extra statement.

1. I sometimes make a little money from my hobby.

2. I was introduced to my hobby by a relative.

3. My hobby’s only really fun if I do it with friends.

4. My hobby helps me meet new people.

5. It takes a long time to learn to do my hobby well.

6. My hobby is only suitable for people who are fit.

Speaker	1	2	3	4	5
Statement

15. Give a 2-minute talk about your favorite free time activity (activities)

Don’t forget to say

• what you like doing in your spare time

• why you like doing it

• how often you enjoy doing it

• if your hobbies play an important part in your life

Use the following expressions:

I quite like…

The thing that really attracts me about…is…

It makes me really happy/cheerful…

The main thing I like/adore…

I find it so/completely/absolutely…

4. GRAMMAR

16. Choose the correct verb form: Present Perfect or Past Simple.

1. My best friend is Sally. I knew/have known her for three years.

2. When I was a child, I lived/have lived in Sicily.

3. I didn't see/haven't seen my next-door neighbor since last weekend.

4. How long did you have/have you had that watch?

5. My grandmother lives in our house. She lived/has lived with us since last year.

6. Where did you go/have you been on holiday last year?

7. My brother has three dogs. He had/has had them for seven years.

8. I was/have been in this classroom since 9 o'clock this morning.

9. I started/have started playing the guitar when I was eight.

10. I'm starving! I didn't eat/haven't eaten anything since this morning.

17. Each of the following sentences has a mistake. Find the mistakes and correct them.

Example: a) My best friend is John. I've known him for two years.

1. My best friend is John. I known him for two years

2. I've had this watch since three months.

3. My family has lived at the same address since five years.

4. I haven't spoke to my next-door neighbors since last weekend.

5. I knew the person sitting next to me for nearly two weeks.

6. My hair has being the same length for three year

7. I haven't been on holiday since a year.

8. I had these shoes since January.

18. Give comparative and superlative forms of the following adjectives and adverbs.

Traditional, many, rapidly, little, complicated, different, important, much, old, exciting, interesting, typical, good, bad, healthy, small, essential, expensive, energetic, comparative, generous, self-confident, desperate, active, ambitious, faithful, reliable.

19. Use the words in brackets to form a word that fits in the space.